🔰 Off-Topic Interest Lounges
Let me tell you a little story
Let me tell you a little story
In 2005, two college roommates Alexis and Steve attended a lecture by @paulg
Graham invited them to apply to @ycombinator with their idea of ordering food by text message
It bombed
Graham invited them to apply to @ycombinator with their idea of ordering food by text message
It bombed
But Graham liked the two guys and during a subsequent brainstorming session an idea was formed to create a website Graham called, the “front page of the internet.”
“It was just Web links and text submitted by users, with Interesting or Uninteresting buttons that you could click on underneath. Simple: That’s all it was. After a contentious debate, we added Comments.” – @alexisohanian, co-founder, @reddit
As of May 2020, the simple collection of web links and text submitted by users was the 19th most-visited website in the world
The secret to their success?
An endless ecosystem of sub-Reddits for people to explore their most niche interests
The secret to their success?
An endless ecosystem of sub-Reddits for people to explore their most niche interests
Researchers found the same phenomenon in online learning
When space was created for “off-topic discussions”, researchers observed more cohesiveness and community
When space was created for “off-topic discussions”, researchers observed more cohesiveness and community
Time plays a critical role too
Allow students time to be off-topic with each other
This can be in the form of interest-based discussion forums or informal virtual gatherings like social hours or after parties
Allow students time to be off-topic with each other
This can be in the form of interest-based discussion forums or informal virtual gatherings like social hours or after parties
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